Tulita

Fort Norman originated as a Hudson's Bay Company trading post in the 19th century and has occupied a number of geographical locations prior to the settling of the modern community. A post by the name of Fort Norman occupied several locations, on the Mackenzie River, on the islands within it, on Bear River, and on the shore of Great Bear Lake near the present location of Deline. Who the name 'Norman' commemorates is unclear, but it may have been either Alexander Norman McLeod or Archibald Norman McLeod, both of whom were prominent in the northwest in the early 19th century.Fort Norman: History of H.B.C. Post on the Mackenzie River. The Beaver, July 1922.

Between 1863 and 1869, Fort Norman was located on Great Bear Lake, a short distance west of what later became Deline (Fort Franklin), and was an HBC post commanded by Nichol Taylor. Roman Catholic missionary Émile Petitot operated a small mission here during that period. In 1869, Nichol Taylor moved Fort Norman to its present position at the confluence of the Mackenzie and Bear Rivers.Petitot, Emile Travels Around Great Slave and Great Bear Lakes, 1862-1882. Toronto: The Champlain Society, 2005.

Fort Norman rose to importance during the 1920s oil staking rush along the Mackenzie River, {{cvt|50|km}} downstream of the community, where oil was developed and marketed at what became known as Norman Wells.The Story of the Fort Norman Oil Well, The Edmonton Bulletin, 5 March 1921 It has also become a permanent settlement for predominately Sahtu Dene people on whose traditional land the original trading post was built. In 1996, the name of Fort Norman was officially changed to Tulita, which translates in Dene to "where the rivers or waters meet."

{{Historical populations

| title = Federal census population history of Tulita

| type = Canada

| align = left

| width =

| state =

| shading =

| percentages =

|1976|232

|1981|286

|1986|332

|1991|375

|1996|450

|2001|473

|2006|505

|2011|478

|2016|477

|2021|396

| footnote =

| source = Statistics Canada
{{cite web | url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/statcan/CS94-905-1981.pdf | title=1981 Census of Canada: Census subdivisions in decreasing population order | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=May 1992 | accessdate=February 1, 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2013/statcan/rh-hc/CS92-101-1987.pdf | title=1986 Census: Population - Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=September 1987 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2013/statcan/rh-hc/CS93-304-1992.pdf | title=91 Census: Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions - Population and Dwelling Counts | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=April 1992 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2012/statcan/rh-hc/CS93-357-1997.pdf | title=96 Census: A National Overview - Population and Dwelling Counts | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=April 1997 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/census01/products/standard/popdwell/Table-CSD-P.cfm?T=1&SR=1&S=1&O=A&PR=61 | title=Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, and Census Subdivisions (Municipalities), 2001 and 1996 Censuses - 100% Data (Northwest Territories) | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=August 15, 2012 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/hlt/97-550/Index.cfm?TPL=P1C&Page=RETR&LANG=Eng&T=302&SR=1&S=1&O=A&RPP=9999&CMA=0&PR=61 | title=Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data (Northwest Territories) | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=August 20, 2021 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table-Tableau.cfm?LANG=Eng&T=302&SR=1&S=51&O=A&RPP=9999&CMA=0&PR=61 | title=Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Northwest Territories) | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=July 25, 2021 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table.cfm?Lang=Eng&T=302&SR=1&S=86&O=A&RPP=9999&PR=61 | title=Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Northwest Territories) | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=February 8, 2017 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}

}}

{{Historical populations

|align=none

|cols=2

|title=Annual population estimates

|1996|468

|1997|477

|1998|473

|1999|490

|2000|493

|2001|495

|2002|509

|2003|504

|2004|505

|2005|526

|2006|524

|2007|522

|2008|521

|2009|512

|2010|519

|2011|490

|2012|496

|2013|497

|2014|502

|2015|493

|2016|515

|2017|497

|footnote= Sources: NWT Bureau of Statistics (2001–2017)[https://www.statsnwt.ca/population/population-estimates/commtotals_2001-2017.xlsx Population Estimates By Community] from the GNWT

}}

In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Tulita had a population of 396 living in {{val|134|fmt=commas}} of its 160 total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:396-477}}|477|1}} from its 2016 population of 477. With a land area of {{cvt|52.28|km2}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|396|52.28|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202&geocode=A000261 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Northwest Territories | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=February 18, 2022}}

In 2016, the majority of the population was Indigenous being First Nations and Métis. The main languages are North Slavey and English with some Dene.{{cite web|url=http://www.assembly.gov.nt.ca/_live/pages/wpPages/maptulita.aspx |title=Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, Tuktoyaktuk profile |publisher=Assembly.gov.nt.ca |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055207/http://www.assembly.gov.nt.ca/_live/pages/wpPages/maptulita.aspx |archivedate=21 September 2013}}

File:View across Tulita to the MacKenzie River (175054924).jpg]]

Tulita may be reached via air year-round, and is served by Tulita Airport; Norman Wells is the regional centre and the site of origin of the majority of flights in. A winter road links Tulita to Wrigley and thence the Mackenzie Highway, and is only open in mid- to late winter. Summer access is available by barge or by canoe, from Hay River along the Mackenzie River. The NWT government is seeking federal funding to extend the Mackenzie Highway from Wrigley through Tulita to Tsiigehtchic.

Amenities consist of a hotel, Northern Store, Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment, and a nursing station.[http://www.statsnwt.ca/community-data/Infrastructure%20PDF/Tulita_In.pdf Tulita Infrastructure Profile] Chief Albert Wright School teaches grades K-12 while the hamlet has a library, arena, recreation hall, and fitness centre.{{Cite web|title = Tulita Land Corporation|url = http://www.tulitalandcorp.ca|website = tulitalandcorp|accessdate = 4 January 2016}}

The Dene First Nations people of Tulita are represented by the Tulita Dene First Nation, a band government operating within the community. The TDFN is a member of the Sahtu Dene Council, joining the Behdzi Ahda' First Nation, Délı̨nę First Nation, and Fort Good Hope First Nation.

Treaty Indians from the community are party to the Sahtu Agreement, which gives them shared title to 41,437 square kilometers of land in the Sahtu Region. Under the Sahtu Agreement, self-government negotiations are ongoing in all five of the region's communities, but as of 2019 only Délı̨nę has successfully reached a Final Agreement.{{Cite web|title=First Nation Detail|access-date=22 August 2019|website=Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada|publisher=Government of Canada|url=https://fnp-ppn.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/fnp/Main/Search/FNMain.aspx?BAND_NUMBER=750&lang=eng}}

• Leslie Nielsen lived here while his father was stationed with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

{{gallery

|File:Sternwheeler Distributor and barge at Fort Norman in 1936.jpg

|alt2=

|Sternwheeler Distributor and barge at Fort Norman, 1936

|File:Fort Norman and Bear Rock, N.W.T. - Jones INS-398.jpg

|alt3=

|Fort Norman and Bear Rock

|File:Photographs of scenes and incidents on the Imperial Oil Company's expedition to the Ford Norman oil fields (HS85-10-39070-1).jpg

|alt4=

|The Imperial Oil Company's expedition to the Fort Norman oil fields, 1921

|File:Photographs of scenes and incidents on the Imperial Oil Company's expedition to the Ford Norman oil fields (HS85-10-39070-5).jpg

|alt5=

|The Imperial Oil Company's expedition to the Fort Norman oil fields, 1921

}}

Tulita experiences a subarctic climate (Köppen: Dfc) with generally mild to warm summers and winters with averages below {{cvt|-20|C}}. Peak snowfall occurs in the months of October and November, while rainfall is limited to the warmer months.

{{Weather box

|metric first= Y

|single line = Y

|location= Tulita Airport

|Jan maximum humidex= 3.9

|Feb maximum humidex= 4.8

|Mar maximum humidex= 6.7

|Apr maximum humidex= 19.7

|May maximum humidex= 29.0

|Jun maximum humidex= 34.7

|Jul maximum humidex= 40.0

|Aug maximum humidex= 44.8

|Sep maximum humidex= 26.5

|Oct maximum humidex= 20.1

|Nov maximum humidex= 4.0

|Dec maximum humidex= -1.2

|year maximum humidex= 44.8

|Jan record high C= 5.6

|Feb record high C= 8.3

|Mar record high C= 15.0

|Apr record high C= 20.6

|May record high C= 31.7

|Jun record high C= 34.4

|Jul record high C= 36.9

|Aug record high C= 34.6

|Sep record high C= 28.5

|Oct record high C= 22.8

|Nov record high C= 8.3

|Dec record high C= 3.0

|year record high C= 36.9

|Jan high C= -21.7

|Feb high C= -19.1

|Mar high C= -11.5

|Apr high C= 0.7

|May high C= 12.4

|Jun high C= 20.9

|Jul high C= 22.7

|Aug high C= 19.2

|Sep high C= 10.3

|Oct high C= -2.2

|Nov high C= -14.5

|Dec high C= -18.6

|year high C= -0.1

|Jan mean C= -25.2

|Feb mean C= -23.4

|Mar mean C= -17.3

|Apr mean C= -5.3

|May mean C= 6.6

|Jun mean C= 14.9

|Jul mean C= 17.1

|Aug mean C= 14.1

|Sep mean C= 6.2

|Oct mean C= -5.0

|Nov mean C= -17.8

|Dec mean C= -22.3

|year mean C= -4.8

|Jan low C= -28.7

|Feb low C= -27.6

|Mar low C= -23.0

|Apr low C= -11.3

|May low C= 0.7

|Jun low C= 8.9

|Jul low C= 11.5

|Aug low C= 9.0

|Sep low C= 2.1

|Oct low C= -7.8

|Nov low C= -20.7

|Dec low C= -25.9

|year low C= -9.4

|Jan record low C= -53.9

|Feb record low C= -54.4

|Mar record low C= -50.0

|Apr record low C= -40.0

|May record low C= -23.9

|Jun record low C= -5.6

|Jul record low C= -3.3

|Aug record low C= -7.8

|Sep record low C= -15.6

|Oct record low C= -32.8

|Nov record low C= -49.0

|Dec record low C= -53.3

|year record low C= -54.4

|Jan chill= -56.5

|Feb chill= -57.1

|Mar chill= -55.6

|Apr chill= -36.3

|May chill= -24.0

|Jun chill= -5.9

|Jul chill= 0.0

|Aug chill= 0.0

|Sep chill= -12.3

|Oct chill= -35.4

|Nov chill= -48.3

|Dec chill= -55.2

|year chill= -57.1

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm= 14.8

|Feb precipitation mm= 11.5

|Mar precipitation mm= 8.7

|Apr precipitation mm= 9.1

|May precipitation mm= 13.4

|Jun precipitation mm= 36.0

|Jul precipitation mm= 44.2

|Aug precipitation mm= 46.9

|Sep precipitation mm= 38.9

|Oct precipitation mm= 32.8

|Nov precipitation mm= 21.8

|Dec precipitation mm= 15.0

|year precipitation mm= 293.0

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm= 0.0

|Feb rain mm= 0.0

|Mar rain mm= 0.0

|Apr rain mm= 0.7

|May rain mm= 9.8

|Jun rain mm= 35.9

|Jul rain mm= 44.2

|Aug rain mm= 46.9

|Sep rain mm= 36.5

|Oct rain mm= 2.7

|Nov rain mm= 0.0

|Dec rain mm= 0.0

|year rain mm= 176.8

|snow colour = green

|Jan snow cm= 14.8

|Feb snow cm= 11.5

|Mar snow cm= 8.7

|Apr snow cm= 8.5

|May snow cm= 3.7

|Jun snow cm= 0.1

|Jul snow cm= 0.0

|Aug snow cm= 0.0

|Sep snow cm= 2.4

|Oct snow cm= 30.1

|Nov snow cm= 22.2

|Dec snow cm= 15.0

|year snow cm= 116.7

|unit precipitation days= 0.2 mm

|Jan precipitation days= 7.1

|Feb precipitation days= 5.7

|Mar precipitation days= 5.8

|Apr precipitation days= 3.9

|May precipitation days= 4.7

|Jun precipitation days= 7.6

|Jul precipitation days= 9.1

|Aug precipitation days= 9.1

|Sep precipitation days= 8.6

|Oct precipitation days= 9.4

|Nov precipitation days= 8.9

|Dec precipitation days= 8.3

|year precipitation days= 88.1

|unit rain days= 0.2 mm

|Jan rain days= 0.0

|Feb rain days= 0.0

|Mar rain days= 0.0

|Apr rain days= 0.3

|May rain days= 3.5

|Jun rain days= 7.6

|Jul rain days= 9.1

|Aug rain days= 9.1

|Sep rain days= 7.6

|Oct rain days= 1.5

|Nov rain days= 0.1

|Dec rain days= 0.0

|year rain days= 38.7

|unit snow days= 0.2 cm

|Jan snow days= 7.1

|Feb snow days= 5.7

|Mar snow days= 5.8

|Apr snow days= 3.7

|May snow days= 1.2

|Jun snow days= 0.1

|Jul snow days= 0.0

|Aug snow days= 0.0

|Sep snow days= 0.9

|Oct snow days= 8.1

|Nov snow days= 8.9

|Dec snow days= 8.3

|year snow days= 49.7

|source 1= Environment Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010{{cite web | publisher = Environment Canada | url = ftp://ftp.tor.ec.gc.ca/Pub/Normals/English/NWT/NWT_AKLA-YELL_ENG.csv | format= CSV (3069 KB)| id = Climate ID: 2201700 |title = Tulita A | work = Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200313102709/ftp://ftp.tor.ec.gc.ca/Pub/Normals/English/NWT/NWT_AKLA-YELL_ENG.csv | archive-date = 2020-03-13 | url-status = dead | accessdate = 9 January 2014}}{{cite web

| url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?timeframe=2&Year=2023&Month=7&Day=2&hlyRange=2014-10-23%7C2023-08-02&dlyRange=2018-10-29%7C2023-08-01&mlyRange=%7C&StationID=52967&Prov=NT&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2023&selRowPerPage=25&Line=1&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=Tulita

| title = Daily Data Report for July 2023

| publisher = Environment and Climate Change Canada

| access-date = August 3, 2023}}

}}

• The outpost of Fort Norman is featured in James A. Michener's 1989 novel Journey in which the character of Lord Luton seeks information there in the winter of 1897

• List of municipalities in the Northwest Territories

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category}}

{{Communities of Northwest Territories}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Communities in the Sahtu Region

Category:Dene communities

Category:Hudson's Bay Company trading posts

Category:Hamlets in the Northwest Territories

Category:Populated places on the Mackenzie River

Category:Road-inaccessible communities of the Northwest Territories